


in which cullen is called out on his bullshit;

by bloodynargles



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, LITTLE SISTER SETS UP BIG SISTER WITH AWKWARD PUPPY COMMANDER, PEP TALKS AND ADORABLENESS ENSUES, TRIES, Well - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-11
Updated: 2015-07-11
Packaged: 2018-04-08 20:28:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4318947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloodynargles/pseuds/bloodynargles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'The soldiers guarding the walls need my attention, urgently.' 'Cullen they live inside them.' 'Oh no but I must go.' Were the rumors about Arietta that bad that he ran at the mere mention of her name?</p>
            </blockquote>





	in which cullen is called out on his bullshit;

**Author's Note:**

> hashtag cullen water you doing

To say the least, Cullen has never met her sister, to say more, Cullen has never been _here_ to meet her sister – as in, he leaves Skyhold if she's there. Neha doesn't understand it. 'The soldiers guarding the walls need my attention, urgently.' 'Cullen they live inside them.' 'Oh no but I must go.' Were the rumours about Arietta _that_ bad that he ran at the mere mention of her name?

 

Her older sister floats in, silk skirts under her, the slight sound of her heeled boots on the floor as she glides over to her. She had always admired Arietta's way of always being put together, or perhaps the way she moved, like a gift from the Maker. Her usually loose curly blonde hair is braided back into a travelling style, though full of intricate braids that would make even Vivienne swoon, it looks effortless, Neha supposes it encompasses her sister well. Always the quiet one, never for showing wealth or gloating about the size of their lands, more likely you'd find her head buried in one of father's tactical books, long slender fingers tracing the words on the pages as she read them, purple eyes completely lost, entranced in the letters, like she was imagining the battle the strategy had been used for and its outcome. She knows more about their lands than even father or Jacob, for his recent interest in them, and pa's delight at it even more. Neha wouldn't be surprised if Arie, after all the announcements of Jacob succeeding their father came and went, would still be the one taking care of the bannorn. There was a certain softness to the way her sister was, like when the sun got stuck behind the clouds on a warm spring morning, she treated everyone with care and respect, even if others treated them like horse shit. Father remarked often of how alike she was with her mother, but sometimes he'd say that she was completely different, where her mother was brash, Arietta was soft, quiet where loud would lurk, honest where Rosalina would have lied to earn approval. They're different people cut from different cloths, but _Maker_ , did he wish that her mother could have met her now, just once. Part of Neha breaks, at that, because she knows deep down that her father still loves Arie's mother _so_. She expects that, expects him to break at certain days of the year, but she _never_ expects the longing in his eyes when he speaks of Rosalina and Arietta growing together, like he wishes to be back there, in a sense. She knows he loves mama more than words could express, and she doesn't busy her thoughts on the matter of where her father's heart lies, but sometimes it saddens her.

 

She can remember the letter Arie had sent her after the war had ended, scrawled in almost unrecognisable hand, possibly through her tears and in a great sense of hurry. It detailed things that Neha had never knew that her sister felt for her, felt towards her, the admiration and _love_ that graced those words, written on parchment in the heat of a moment, when fear was all that her sister could feel. She could never forget that letter.

 

Neha supposes what she wants to say is that, well, when she met Cullen all that came to mind was her sister, and as they wandered on together into the war she could see where his pitfalls were, where Arietta would lift him where he himself could not. She wanted to give him the balm that Arie had made for her nightmares when she was young, but for the life of her she couldn't remember the recipe and there was never any _time_ to bring it up. But now there was and her sister was _here_ but Cullen was nowhere to be found and it was beginning to irritate her immensely.

 

She'd found him sorting papers in his office, standing there like he didn't have a care in the world or that the fact he'd been avoiding meeting her sister for nearly a _year_ , now. “Cullen.” His eyes jump up as if he was far away inside his mind, silence where humming should be in that kind of state. Arie hums, hates the silence that comes when people are working, so she hums to herself, songs that Neha had never known could be so very sweet. “Yes, Inquisitor?” She stalks away from the door towards partially filled, organised bookshelves, wondering on how to corner him into telling just _exactly_ why he is so strange when her sister comes from home. “How long has it been, since the war ended?” Her bright green eyes travel his way, his face contorted into an expression of confusion, “Almost a year. _Why_ , if I may ask?” He sets the letter in his hand onto his desk, awaiting an answer she didn't intend on giving. “And how _many_ times have the soldiers that patrol the walls needed your undying 'assistance'?” She pulls her cards close to her chest and he stares at her blankly, as if trying to come up with an answer to the obvious bullshit she had caught him out on. After a moment of silence she decides to drive her point even deeper, “I mean, as the _Commander_ of those men, wouldn't it be your job to recycle them with new men who could do a better job at _guarding the wall_?” His mouth opens and shuts several times before he has an answer, gloved hand gripping the edge of his desk tightly as he speaks, “Well, I, ah..” Gold eyes glance to his desk in hope of some sort of help towards what was undoubtedly another excuse, “What, exactly, _is_ your problem with my sister?” Her head falls to the side, eyes still steel even though her voice had softened. His eyes flicker back to her guiltily and she swears he's saying sorry with his eyes, “I.. It is not a problem, Inquisitor. There is no problem, I..” His words are said in a quiet mumble, something she's only ever heard him speak like when he's ashamed of his actions. “I, ah.. I did not want to disturb, at first. You seemed quite... emotional at the time, before she arrived, I didn't want to impose on that.” He pulls away from his desk, stretching his legs as he wanders over to the door at the opposite side of the room, locking it silently, the wind howling through the stone walls during the evening too loud in his ears. “The second, I..” Silence settles over them as he thinks on what to say, and it occurs to Neha he's never been quite like this, unsure of his words and quiet, soft with his gestures – she had half a mind to say he was in love.

 

“Your sister is.. She's quite, well, _beautiful_. I.. was going to say hello, I was half way across the garden, she was laughing at something Dorian was whispering to her and I.. I don't know, Inquisitor. I don't believe I am enough to socialize with a woman like her. I ran. Quite literally, made an arse of myself in front of soldiers I passed on the way back to my office.” He runs his hand through his hair, the sweat of the day making the strands at his temple curl slightly and a laugh bubbles from her, his eyes snapping up immediately at her outburst. “Inquisitor?” He sounds hurt, and Neha realises he must think she's laughing at his words, but she shakes her head. “I'm sorry, Cullen. I didn't mean it that way, I promise you. But - how in this world could you not be 'enough'? Enough of what? A man? No, Cullen, if it wasn't for you, where would the inquisition be? Where would the _world_ be? Probably devoid of life, by now.” She laughs again, pacing toward him to place a hand on his arm. “Do you know how _long_ I have been trying to set you up with my sister? Actually, I think it has been almost a year.” His eyes widen at her statement, and he stammers through unrecognisable words until she shoves him toward the door leading to the battlements. “Go, Commander. Last time I saw her she was trading stories with Leliana in the war room. I'm _sure_ Lady Nightingale would be happy to pass the conversation off to you.” “ _Neha_.” “Oh go, you arse. Go and sweep my sister off of her feet. Maker knows she needs it.” There's a flash of gratitude in his eyes before he turns and when he's gone she sighs and folds her arms, 'half a mind to say he was in love.' _Bullshit_. That man is head over heels and boy, is it going to be _adorable_ to watch.

 

–

He's tugging at the fingers on his gloves and considers turning around several times, but Leliana catches him before he can run from the war room doorway, one glance of Arietta's frame in that silk dress enough to fuel him for _years_. “Oh! Commander Cullen, I don't think you and Arietta have had the _pleasure_ of meeting one and other, have you?” He can _hear_ the smugness in her voice and he squeezes his eyes shut before turning around, the blonde woman's eyes bright and purple and _staring right at him_. “No, I don't believe we have.” He makes his way to them, sticking out his hand, expecting to be expected to kiss hers, but instead she shakes it firmly and his heart falls further. “Hello, Commander.” There's a soft smile on her lips after she speaks and he gives into the urge to return it, wishing he'd taken the gloves _off_ before introducing himself. “Hello, Lady Trevelyan, I am sorry it has been so long.” “Oh, that is quite alright. Leaves mystery for the end, yes?” His smile streches wider, neither of them noticing how long their hands had been holding one another. “I suppose so.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> hELP IVE FALLEN AND I CANT GET UP MY CANON TIMELINE IS TOO STRONG


End file.
